Thursday, 5 July 2012

5 Things I Love about Everything Oz (craft book review!)

1. There's No Place Like Home

Oz is without a doubt my favourite fairytale. To this day it I still cry watching it - there are just so many nostalgic moment; it is timeless. I liked last year's Everything Alice book but I love Everything Oz. You see as much as Alice was beautifully designed and had fabulous projects I've never had much affinity with the story - mainly because I didn't watch many Disney cartoon as a child, but Oz was on TV all the time and the more I watched it the more it fuelled my imagination.

And what are those fab shoes beside the book? My very own ruby red slippers. I made them for my own book 101+ Things To Do With Glitter which is released this September. Mine are glittery and the pair that appear in the Oz book are made from sequin trim - both are just as amazing!

2. Green Jelly

When I was studying for my A'levels there was a girl in my Media Studies class called Sian who had an obsession with green jelly and the minute I saw this project I thought of her. Jelly is one of the most fascinating food stuffs in existence I'm especially inspired by how Bombas & Parr have built a business by making impressive jelly sculptures.Everything Oz has a subtitle of 'The Wizard Book of Makes & Bakes' and I'm glad this doesn't mean literally only foods that go in the oven.
Jelly is super easy to prepare, it's got much easier to find veggie versions and this project, through its simplicity will hopefully inspire a whole new generation of people to get back into the habit of eating jelly again for dessert.
A couple of weeks ago I was at a party where they served jelly and ice-cream and all the guests went crazy for it.Oh and on the Sian front. I recently reconnected with her and she has a blog too where recenty she wrote about being happy to receive Everything Alice as a birthday present....Sian, wait until you see this!

3. Pretty things

There are over 50 projects in Everything Oz and the good news is, they are designs you would want to own. For example I would buy these Emerald hairpieces they are so professional looking. Being shown how to make something that could quite easily sell for over £50 is a sign of a good craft book - especially when you see how easy it is to DIY!

4. Amazing projects

The projects in Oz are much more adventurous than those that appear in Alice, again like above, projects that you actually want to own. I particularly like this star lamp, it's something I will have a go at making - and also the Great Wizard's Thrown Tent - I've always wanted something like that!

5. Toto

Finally, when was the last time you saw a real life dog in a book, modelling crafts? Yes this book gets the thumbs up from me, for that factor alone.

The authors Christine & Hannah have captured what craft is all about - having fun. Craft is not about making things from expensive printed fabrics or making your house looks like it's from the pages of a magazine....making stuff is about being creative, imaginative, smiling, laughing and getting covered in glue (and in this case green food colouring too!)

This booked is packed with ideas and little touches that would appeal to all types of people, in isolation you may not even notice the theme, but of course when it all comes together you can see that they really have captured the essence of Oz. I am sure Frank would be proud!